Transcript Prepositional Phrases Brief Review on Person

Prepositional Phrases
Brief Review on Person
Person
Singular
Plural
First Person
I go
We go
Second Person
You go
You go
Third Person
He, She, It goes They go
Most people know this intuitively, but for second
language learners, they must learn it expressly.
Why know this? Because prepositional phrase
problems mess people up.
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How Prepositional Phrases
Mess You Up.
• Prepositional phrases can come between
subject and verbs and confuse us as we write.
Look at the sentence below – can you easily tell
which verb to choose?
• The students in classroom 519 by the office
[need/needs] assistance from the president.
Here’s a strategy to correct the
sentence below
• The students in classroom 519 by the
office [need/needs] assistance from the
president.
• Look at the sentence above and
eliminate the prepositional phrases.
Then match the subject to the verb.
Now can you see the answer?
Fixing Sentences with
Prepositional Phrases
The students in classroom 519 by the office
[need/needs] assistance from the president.
PREP. PHRASES
[in classroom 519, by the office, from the president.]
All we have left: The students [need/needs]
assistance.
Isn’t that easier?
One Way Prepositional Phrases Can
Cause Problems - Indefinite Pronouns
• Indefinite pronouns are SINGULAR.
– These are body words, one words, or thing
words [everybody, everyone, everything].
• Poor:
Everyone in the two classes have
their homework.
• Better: Everyone in the two classes has
his or her homework.
One Way Prepositional Phrases Can
Cause Problems – Indefinite Pronouns
• In questions or sentences using There is or
There are – subjects come after the verb and
cause us trouble. Can you easily correct
these? Take out the prepositional phrases
and give them a try.
– What in the world [is/are] the Teletubbies?
– There [is/are] in this classroom 3 DVD players.
Another Way Prepositional Phrases Can
Cause Problems – Compound Subjects
• Compound subjects are plural.
-Poor:
Bill and his mother is at the party.
- Better: Bill and his mother are at the party.
- Poor: Two cups of coffee and a bagel is what I
need.
– Better: Two cups of coffee and a
bagel are what I need.
Yet another way prepositional phrases can
cause problems –
Either/Or and Neither/Nor
• When you have subjects connected with
Either/Or Neither/Nor, match the verb to
the subject closest to it.
Poor:
The two teachers or the tutor are waiting to
help you.
Better: The two teachers or the tutor is waiting to
help you.
Poor: Either Tom or his two friends is waiting to help you.
Better: Either Tom or his two friends are waiting to help you.